Party $5+1 SNG: Hand 6, A A UTG. Critique please.

[Saint_D]

Been playing Party 5+1 for a couple months now. I get into the money about 40% of the time and take first 25% of the time. My sample size is low, 25. I have also been losing slowly at the $.50/$1 ring games, but that's another story.

This was hand 6 or so and I got A A. I am wondering if it's best to come out shooting with monster hole cards this early or is is better to take a few hundred chips and bide my time?


Background: I don't have any real read on the table yet, except that UTG+1 has seen a lot of flops and seems a little loose and reckless.

Party Poker Pot-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t15 (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

saw flop|<font color="C00000">saw showdown</font>

SB (t1735)
<font color="C00000">BB (t410)</font>
<font color="C00000">Hero (t745)</font>
<font color="C00000">UTG+1 (t605)</font>
UTG+2 (t1525)
MP1 (t530)
MP2 (t880)
MP3 (t730)
CO (t145)
Button (t695)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, A/images/graemlins/heart.gif.
<font color="CC3333">Hero raises to t55</font>, UTG+1 calls t55, <font color="666666">7 folds</font>, BB calls t40.

Hmm, A A. I bet the pot and basically hope for everyone to fold. Oh, look UTG+1 calls. He is a little loose and reckless. I put him AK, KK, or QQ. With other hands being possible, but less likely. BB I don't have a read on, but I think he probably has Ax or or one of the big hands I put UTG+1 on.

Flop: (t175) 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, T/images/graemlins/spade.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>

Beatiful flop. No one who called me should have any of that crap. Someone could be on the flush draw, I better make it so they don't have odds to draw out on me.

BB checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets t175</font>, UTG+1 calls t175, BB calls t175.

This is the first hand I have played in the SNG. I wonder if they think I am bluffing? If they have pocket strait flush, or they just want to give me their chips?

Turn: (t700) 5/images/graemlins/club.gif <font color="blue">(3 players)</font>

This is a pretty safe card. 7-8 /images/graemlins/spade.gif could have enough draws here to want to see me, but I am still the favorite as far as I can tell. I think my odds of being ahead are strong. BB checked to me and UTG+1 just likes to call.

BB checks, <font color="CC3333">Hero bets t515 (All-In)</font>, UTG+1 calls t375 (All-In), BB calls t180 (All-In).

Damn! What are these guys risking stack on?

River: (t1770) 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="blue">(3 players, 3 all-in)</font>

Uh oh, there is the 9 I feard for the strait draw. Maybe somebody did call me down with that 7-8s.

Final Pot: t1770
<font color="green">Main Pot: t1240 (t1240), between BB, Hero and UTG+1.</font>
<font color="green">Pot 2: t390 (t390), between Hero and UTG+1.</font>
<font color="green">Pot 3: t140 (t140), returned to Hero.</font>

Results later. =) Did I do this at all right? Should I just chalk my win rate up to pure luck?

[parappa]

You played this fine imo. I assume one or both of them had a big hand or hit a draw. As an aside, I think that your thought process is very good, but you might be giving your 5+1 opponents too much credit for having good hands.

[njc2o]

your first mistake is playing 20% toke...

[willperkins]

I can't fault your play here. You have the best hand, bet the pot on the flop to protect yourself and got two "callie wallies" with I don't know what unless they have a big PP, 33, 66, TT or as you point out 8 /images/graemlins/spade.gif7 /images/graemlins/spade.gif.
You pushed on the turn, to get all your money in with the best hand and they still called.
I can't wait to see what they called your push with.

[JustOnce]

At Pacific they have $5+.50, costs you half as much rake.
I put one of them on a set maybe? A higher initial bet might have scared them off if you really wanted to just take down the pot. But at the lower levels pocket pairs stay in a lot, no matter how large the bet, so who knows.

[Saint_D]

BB has 6 /images/graemlins/spade.gif K /images/graemlins/spade.gif (one pair, sixes).
Hero has A /images/graemlins/diamond.gif A /images/graemlins/heart.gif (one pair, aces).
UTG+1 has 5 /images/graemlins/spade.gif 5 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif (three of a kind, fives).
Outcome: UTG+1 wins t1630. Hero wins t140 .


Thanks for the input everyone. The villain, UTG+1 had pocket 5's and busted me down to 140 chips with this hand. I came back to take #1 and villian paid me everytime I went all in till I busted him out.

I know the rake here is pretty big, but I am doing well and I just wanted to get my feet wet anyway. Though, when you factor in all the games and all the rakes, I am making about $3 a game. Not exactly going to fund my retirement or anything.

I played a few 10+1's. I felt like I was doing well, but they play is insanely slow. People ponder every move like it was thier last on earth.

Pacific won't take my credit card or epassport unless I pay $35 for a firepay visa. So, I am just going to stick with Party I build a buying for the ring games in 5+1, then lose it slowly in the ring. Maybe I can turn my ring game around some day.

[ QUOTE ]
A higher initial bet might have scared them off if you really wanted to just take down the pot.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is pot limit. I bet the pot at every chance. I am used to either buying the pot or having my aces cracked. I am 0 for 5 in showdowns with AA.

Thanks again.

Saint_D

[Saint_D]

P.S. I have turned my ring game around thanks to poker tracker. I was playing way looser than I thought. I am now winning steadily at the .5/1 ring and playing 10+1 tournaments for variety. I am doing just as well in 10+1 as 5+1 and the rake is treating me better.

-Saint_D